Dying Firefish in nano tank. Help!

[Leo.LA]

I have a clown fish and firefish in a smaller fish only tank since October 2019. I wanted to add some corals so I bought a larger nano tank and just moved them to a Fluval evo 13.5 gallon almost 7 weeks ago, and added a very small pistol shrimp and some CUC and corals.

Then I added a coral beauty angelfish almost 3 weeks ago. Everyone seems happy and they have their own territory. During the night, firefish will hide and sleep inside one of my live rock. Clownfish hosts on couple corals and I don't see a lot of aggression between all of them.

I noticed that my coral beauty angelfish has a lot of small white spots after introducing to the tank 3 weeks ago and it based on my research, it could be ich. Although he is very lively and eating very well so I figured maybe just stress of new environment.

Today, I saw my firefish not swimming and not on his usual spot and looks like he is dying. He is not eating too. Here's the pic.

My firefish is on the larger side so I don't know if its just old age. I don't know if its harassment from other fish but I doubt it. It could be ich from the coral beauty angelfish? or it could be another disease.

 

[Big G]

Those look like bites. And they look infected.

 

[LAReefer4Life]

Possibly Uronema or bacterial infection.

Uronema marinum

Uronema marinum What You Need To Know: * These are the red sores most often seen on chromis damsels; however it can afflict any fish. * Treatment of choice is a 45 minute formalin bath (e.g. Quick Cure), followed by transfer into a new/sterile QT. * Once in QT, it is very important to do...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Leo.LA]

Those look like bites. And they look infected.

If those are bites, I wonder who would do that plus I know my firefish just hide in his "home" inside the live rock if there is a threat.

Possibly Uronema or bacterial infection.

Uronema marinum

Uronema marinum What You Need To Know: * These are the red sores most often seen on chromis damsels; however it can afflict any fish. * Treatment of choice is a 45 minute formalin bath (e.g. Quick Cure), followed by transfer into a new/sterile QT. * Once in QT, it is very important to do...

www.reef2reef.com

If it is a bacterial infection, would it heal on its own?

 

[Crustaceon]

Looks like bacterial infection to me. I’m assuming you moved everything, rocks, sand etc. from the smaller nano? If so, you probably stirred up a bad strain of bacteria that was living untouched in the smaller tank’s substrate or under the rocks and it managed to outcompete beneficial bacteria in the new system. If you can remove the fish, qt and treat with metroplex and kanaplex soaked food, that would be ideal. While qt’ing, siphon your sand well and dose a strain of beneficial bacteria over the course of at least a week (Maybe seachem stability or similar) to re-establish the bacterial pecking order. If you can’t remove the fish, at least try to get them to eat the medicated food. If they eat and continue to do so through the treatment, they’ll have a much better chance at survival. I been through the exact same thing and with firefish when going from a 60g to a 100g system. This is exactly what I did and it worked for me.

 

[Leo.LA]

Looks like bacterial infection to me. I’m assuming you moved everything, rocks, sand etc. from the smaller nano? If so, you probably stirred up a bad strain of bacteria that was living untouched in the smaller tank’s substrate or under the rocks and it managed to outcompete beneficial bacteria in the new system. If you can remove the fish, qt and treat with metroplex and kanaplex soaked food, that would be ideal. While qt’ing, siphon your sand well and dose a strain of beneficial bacteria over the course of at least a week (Maybe seachem stability or similar) to re-establish the bacterial pecking order. I been through the exact same thing and with firefish when going from a 60g to a 100g system. This is exactly what I did and it worked for me.

Actually the smaller nano was just Fish, Dry Rock, and Sand. I didn't move the dry rock and sand in this 13.5g. Its a completely new tank with live rock but I insta-cycle it with Bio-Spira + Live rock. Water parameters are very good and been testing everything almost daily.

 

[Crustaceon]

Actually the smaller nano was just Fish, Dry Rock, and Sand. I didn't move the dry rock and sand in this 13.5g. Its a completely new tank with live rock but I insta-cycle it with Bio-Spira + Live rock. Water parameters are very good and been testing everything almost daily.

I think insta-cycling works from a denitrifying perspective but it can take weeks to even a few months for beneficial bacteria to find an equilibrium in a system. In that time, the good stuff could very well still be fighting the bad stuff if that makes sense. Your firefish could’ve carried some bad bacteria from the rockwork into the new system as they love to get under that stuff like no other. I’d try to feed medicated food to fight the bad bacteria that way and keep dosing beneficial to give it the knockout punch. You’re playing the numbers game and want the good bacteria to come out on top. Also, I wouldn’t carbon dose in any form while doing this as it can feed bad strains of bacteria too and exasperate the problem.

 

[Big G]

If those are bites, I wonder who would do that plus I know my firefish just hide in his "home" inside the live rock if there is a threat.



If it is a bacterial infection, would it heal on its own?

Clownfish can be real mean. And they seem to like to attack other fish after lights out. Heck, we have a member who reported his clown jumped up and bit him on the eyeball when he was over the tank doing maintenance. Yikes!